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Round Rock City Council May elections attract 4 candidates

Round Rock City Council May elections attract 4 candidates

Round Rock City Hall is in the downtown area on Main Street. MIKE PARKER/ROUND ROCK LEADER

An incumbent is running against a familiar competitor and two newcomers are facing off in two separate City Council elections May 5.

Council Member Writ Baese, 48, co-owner of a Round Rock-based payroll company, faces Ellie Andrew, 66, a homemaker, for the Place 5 seat.

Matt Baker, 48, co-owner of Baker Realty and a former environmental engineer for a state agency, faces Cam Scott, 42, senior director for government relations at the Cancer Action Network, for the council Place 3 seat being vacated by Frank Leffingwell.

Elected to the council in 2015, Leffingwell is running against county Justice of the Peace Bill Gravell in the Republican primary for Williamson County judge. The winner of that race will face Democrat Blane Conklin in the November general election.

Baese, a local resident since 1997, has served as chair of the Round Rock Chamber board of directors, a member of the city’s 2013 bond advisory commission, vice chair of a city economic development committee and a member of the Round Rock school district Partners In Education Foundation.

Baese also served as president of the Rotary Club of Round Rock and as a board trustee for St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center.

Andrew moved to Round Rock in 2004 after living in San Jose, Calif. She is an active parishioner at St. William Catholic Church and a former board member at the Austin Girls’ Choir. She is also on the board of directors for the Texas Home Educators. She teaches hula classes at the Baca Center.

In May 2015, Baese handily beat Andrew and local welder Ted Meng for Place 5, receiving 66 percent of the vote. In that race, Andrew ran a campaign focused on responsible development, particularly in the downtown area.

Baker moved to Round Rock in 2012 after living in Central Texas since 1993. Before opening Baker Realty, he served for more than 20 years as an engineer at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

He serves as chairman of Senior Access, a ride-sharing program for seniors, and is a board member of the Rotary Club of Round Rock.

Baker also supervised volunteer police units as a reserve deputy for the Travis County sheriff’s office, according to his campaign website. After 27 years of service, he achieved the rank of captain. He is also an active member of Redemption Hill Church in Round Rock.

Scott’s position as executive director of governmental relations at the Cancer Action Network, a subsidiary of the American Cancer Society, has involved representing cancer patients and their families at the Capitol. He is vice president of the city’s transportation and economic development corporation board, and has served on the city community development commission and as president of the Round Rock Sunrise Rotary Club.

Scott is a former pastor and youth minister and currently serves as deacon chair at Peace of Christ Church in Round Rock.

Early voting for the city council elections is from April 23 to May 1.